Cinci VS OU-HCOM Cleveland

[deleted964256]

Relatively unique situation here. Obviously MD>DO.

I'm a northeast Ohio resident. Currently on WL at Case/Neomed but as May is passing my hopes are greatly diminishing to get off either of those WL. My wife works in NEO, our families/friends are in NEO. I applied to OU-HCOM Cleveland specifically due to location, and honestly I think I would enjoy being a student there. I've only ever heard good things about the school and I know a few people who currently attend. Obviously Cinci is a T50 MD and has a whole host of pros in attending. Both schools are equally priced tuition wise. As far as specialty interests go I'm fairly ambivalent, but I have spent a lot of time working in ophtho and that highly interests me.

The issue comes down to making easily the hardest decision I've ever faced. Uplift my family and move to Cinci for my career, or stay in NEO for a fairly high ranked DO school. My wife in her current position wouldn't be able to work 100% remotely. Commuting from NEO to Cinci 1x weekly is unfortunately and unsurprisingly not an option from what I can ascertain.
All the pros of Cinci are career-related.

All the pros of OU-HCOM are lifestyle related.

What do you all recommend? Obviously no one has a crystal ball, but would going to OU shoot myself in the foot for my career? Is it worth moving my wife and I away from our support systems? Really hoping anyone who has made a similar decision could give advice here. I've wavered intensely on this decision for a few months now.

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[wondervisions]

Going to a DO school will not end your career. The vast majority of DO graduates end up as practicing physicians. However, it will significantly reduce your competitiveness for specific residency fields and institutions. It would be all but impossible to match at a top IM program, for instance. But if your goal is simply to become a physician, a well regarded DO school is perfectly fine.

 

[djiboutiman]

Ophthalmology is one of the most competitive specialties to match into. The last few years have shown a 85% match rate for MD students and a 36-55% match rate for DO students. If you think you might want to do Ophthalmology or a different competitive specialty then you should definitely go the MD route. With Step 1 being P/F, I think it will be even harder for DO students to match into competitive specialties. Another thing to think about is that going the MD route gives you a better chance of matching into a specific residency program. Although Cincinnati isn’t super close, at least you’re in the same state and you can visit family on breaks.

All that being said, I understand that being close to home is the most important factor for some people, especially for those that are married and have kids. If you are okay with matching into something less competitive and dont have a big preference for location, then going the DO route is totally okay.

Only you can decide what is more important between career options and location.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

How entrenched is your wife in her job / career ? That might be a factor here. Is she just starting out and in a field where she could find similar work in Cincinnati ? Or is she well into a sweet situation at NEOMED ? Just thinking.

 

[deleted964256]

How entrenched is your wife in her job / career ? That might be a factor here. Is she just starting out and in a field where she could find similar work in Cincinnati ? Or is she well into a sweet situation at NEOMED ? Just thinking.

That’s what makes it hard. She just recently started at a new gig but it’s the exact thing she went to school for. I don’t think it would look great for her to jump around jobs. We have been throwing around the idea of her trying hard to work remote but idk if it’s possible.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

I think moving to a new job in a new city because your spouse is going to medical school in that new city takes away a lot of the "job hopping not looking good part." It's possible she could find a similar or even better position in Cincinnati.

 

[Hotshy]

If you want to do optho, MD all the way. As above poster, I don't know if it qualifies as job hopping if you have to move for your spouse's education. I'm unfamiliar with the NEOmed area and Cincinnati, but how does the job market look in Cincinnati for your wife's line of work? Maybe it's not so bad afterall, but it would involve uprooting your life and you seem fairly settled. The general wisdom is MD>DO and this is especially true in competitive fields like optho. Just some things to consider. As a married guy who just matched into fellowship, I can tell you that this is all going to come down to a discussion between you and your partner, and what they are willing to tolerate for your career. Best of luck either way you have great options.